At a press conference at Gloucestershire Constabulary’s HQ at Waterwells near Gloucester on Monday morning, Detective Superintendent Ian Fletcher confirmed that a woman in her 40s, and two children, a girl aged seven and a four-year-old boy died in the blaze.
DS Fletcher told reporters: “I would confirm that we’re not treating this as a suspicious incident at this time. This would appear to be a tragic accident that occurred in the early hours of Boxing Day morning.
“The circumstances, as we understand it at this time, is that it was a family property, with the father and mother in that property with two children. The fire has woken the mother and father at about 3am. They have attempted to get to their children in the back bedroom of that property.
“They’ve been unable to get to the back bedroom due to the ferocity of the fire and the heat from that fire. The father smashed his way out of the house through a bathroom window in order to try to access the child’s bedroom via the outside. He’s been unable to enter the property via that that bedroom window. He then tried to re-enter the property through the bathroom window, by which stage the fire was taking hold in the bathroom, and he’s unable to get back into the upstairs bedrooms.
“He’s subsequently gone downstairs and tried to force entry via the front and the back door, but has been unable to get back in to the property and at this point our colleagues from emergency services, fire, police, etc have attended and have started managing and dealing with that fire.”
DS Fletcher confirmed the man who survived the fire is a serving officer with Gloucestershire Constabulary: “I would like to confirm what has been reported locally is that the husband of the property and the surviving member of his family is a serving police officer at Gloucestershire Constabulary. And again, our hearts and prayers go out to him and all of his colleagues who would know him very well.”
Deputy Chief Fire Officer Nathaniel Hooton explained the challenges his officers faced: “Our crews worked extremely hard to make their way into the building to fight the fire. The fire was well-developed upon arrival, and we had multiple resources from across the county attending this incident.”
Leader of Stroud District Council, Cllr Chloe Turner, added: “My heart goes out to everybody impacted by this horrific incident. I’m incredibly grateful to the emergency crews for all the work they’ve done. Our role as a council, to date, has really been one of support to the emergency crews, and supporting the community, and in, in their needs, to date and going forward.
“We’re working with community partners such as the local church, and others who come forward to offer their facilities as places where people can gather. I would say that if anyone in the community feels that they need emotional support at this incredibly difficult time, the Red Cross Crisis Line is available, today and every weekday to anyone who needs it.”
